I do have a thought, but you'd really have to ask Tennessee Williams and
Larry McMurtry to get the real dirt. You might even have to ask one
Henry Willson.
My thought is, these word names, used by TW and LM, respectively, were probably meant to be just what they are: rugged-sounding monosyllables that represent rugged men. TW and LM were writing these works at around the same time that Rock
Hudson first became noticed. It was around 1948 that
Roy Scherer Fitzgerald's agent, Willson, changed
Roy's name to Rock
Hudson. TW wrote
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof in 1954-55, just as Rock
Hudson came to fame in
Magnificent Obsession (1954). LM wrote
Horseman, Pass By around 1961; Rock
Hudson had already starred in
Giant (1956) by then.
Authors often draw inspiration from pop culture as it's happening; authors who write for the stage or screen, in particular, would likely pay attention to up-and-coming actors. I would submit that it's not quite a coincidence that Rock
Hudson came along just before Brick and Hud.
But that's just my theory.
ETA changed the phrase to 'rugged-sounding' from 'tough-sounding'
ETA2 Stone Phillips was born in Texas in 1954. More coincidence?...
~Lillian~Proud daughter of
Ann and
JohnProud sister of
Lauren and
LeahProud wife of
DavidProud mother of
Alexander,
Scarlett,
Sophia, and
GideonThis message was edited 10/19/2007, 12:50 PM